Multibeam optical apparatus and method for tracking control for an optical disk having a set of tracks

A multitrack optical disk has two or more circular or spiral tracks, which are recorded or played back in simultaneous sets for high data rates. Tracking is accomplished by sets of first and second tracking pads, which lie partially on and partially off the track paths. The amount of inter-track space required to accommodate the track pads is reduced by placing the overlap of the tracking pads in the same inter-track space, and by tracking any additional simultaneous tracks in excess of two by mechanical coupling with the first two.